Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We will consider the topic of maintaining and enforcing regulations in the building sector with representatives of the Building Regulations Advisory Body and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I welcome Mr. Aidan O'Connor, a member of the Building Regulations Advisory Body and principal adviser in the architecture and building standards section of the housing and planning division of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; and Mr. Paris Beausang, from the architecture and building standards section.

I wish to draw attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. However, if witnesses are directed by this committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I also advise them that the opening statement and any other documents they have submitted to the committee will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in any such way as to make him or her identifiable.

Before commencing with the presentation I wish to say a few words. I thank Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Beausang for attending the committee today in what is a period of interregnum for the BRAB. The old board has completed its term of office and the new one has yet to be appointed so the witnesses are very much manning the stations on their own. The BRAB advises the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on matters relating to building regulations, and it is how these regulations are formulated and proposed and the basis on which advice is given to the Minister we wish to discuss today. In particular, I am interested to hear if the body anticipates developments in the sector and how the regulations can be framed to prevent rather than react to problems as they arise. This is not always possible but perhaps the witnesses might explain to us what efforts are being made in order to address that in so far as is practicable.

The building sector has been hit with a number of serious problems in recent years. The pyrite problem and Priory Hall immediately come to mind. One might reasonably ask how these situations came about and how it happened, when regulations were in place, that these buildings were built with such obvious defects. They have had horrifying consequences for the people who have to bear the brunt of the problem. What other hidden or potential risks exist, and how can we best plan in order to avoid them? Those two cases stand out in our minds. This happened many miles from where I live but one could not help being touched by the misery inflicted on hard-working, honest to God people who, in respect of Priory Hall, are now paying mortgages for properties they vacated more than a year ago. That is gut-wrenching. How was this allowed to happen? Although universal standards exist to be applied, all of a sudden it has ended up in this way. The witnesses might begin by addressing those points.